Many thanks for the history of Chinese local affairs. Most interesting.
The introduction of the China-Australia Free Trade agreement is, in my opinion, another step closer to a world truly dominated by economic multinationals. One only has to examine the corporate partnerships that have evolved over the past 10 years between US origin corporations & Chinese manufacturers. Australian manufacturers are likely to suffer under the weight of the high technology-cheap labour competitors without appropriate tariff barriers.

Swilkie,I agree.We are not looking at diversity in our economies,and are too willing to farm out everything to the country who screws their labour to the point of subsistence.The economic theory is that as poor countries take over our manufacturing,their living standards rise and thus we will meet them in the middle.The reality is that China amd India have so many people that there isn't enough resources left to raise living standards anywhere near ours.Within this reality,there will always be cheap sources of labour that will continue to undermine our standards of living.
I don't think China will ever become fully democratic,since their leaders recognise the leverage they have over us with our democratic system that panders to, too many minor interest groups.
Dick Smith said two days ago that it would be almost impossible to start Dick Smith Electronics today because of the dominance of big business.
For the individual to be wedged between multi-nationals and big govt,diminishes us all.If we remove the passion for individual autonomy and creativity,our society and economy will degenerate to self indulgent drone mentality with no inspiration to evolve beyond the cocoon of our comfort zones.